1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to telephone testing equipment.
2. Background of the Invention
Devices exist for testing telephone lines and equipment. Many of these devices require trained technicians for operation. However, a few exist which can be operated by persons who are not technically trained.
Impetus for the development of customer-operated telephone test equipment has resulted from recent deregulation of the United States telephone industry. In the past, telephone customers having problems with their telephone equipment received service exclusively from the telephone company regardless of where the problem existed. Now, however, a telephone company is responsible only for the servicing of telephone equipment and lines physically reaching a defined point within the customer's premises, which may be a modular plug jack typically designated as RJ11X, RJ14X or RJ21X. All remaining telephone wiring and connected equipment within the customer's premise are the service responsibility of the customer.
This division in responsibility for servicing of lines and equipment is reflected in the customer's bills, i.e., the phone company will not charge for repair services if the problem is in their office, outside plant, at the customer's service drop or protector. If the problem exists from the protector on into the customer's premises, the customer is charged for its repair. Accordingly, a need exists for a simple device which would permit a technically-unsophisticated customer to distinguish between problems occurring in his equipment and that of the phone company.
One device for locating a problem is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,494. In a normal position, the device selectively couples and uncouples a telephone company line to the customer's telephone lines and equipment, and, in a test position, to an audio amplifier connected to a speaker. The presence or absence of a dial tone in the test position indicates whether the problem resides within the telephone company's line, or within the customer's lines and equipment.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,976,849 discloses a device for testing telephone wiring connections and signals, and in particular, tip-ring direct current signals, and ground and lamp alternating current signals. Indications of test results are in the form of two light-emitting diode indicators which illuminate at varying intensity.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,176 discloses a simple device for determining the origin of phone problems which includes a multiple position switch normally connecting the telephone company's line to the customer's wiring and telephone equipment, and alternatively, to one or more test circuits. Each of the test circuits has a visual or audible indicator to indicate the presence, or absence, of a tested-for condition.
Other portable telephone test devices of varying sophistication exist. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,323,738; 4,369,341; 4,413,163; 4,443,669; and 4,575,588 are all concerned with the simplified testing of telephone line terminations. The devices shown in these patents include audio and visual indications of the results of such testing.
Many of the test circuits disclosed in these patents are complex and often provide visual and/or audible indications which go beyond the basic requirement of the telephone customer, which is simply to identify whether a problem experienced is due to a problem in a line under his control or that of the telephone company.